Chapter 3

"Lily, you're home. I was worried that you might still be waiting at the door."

I didn't answer.

James continued,

"I know you won't be so silly waiting there all the time."

But I am a fool. I wanted to retort but no sound came out.

"James, do you still want to marry me?"

I saw James’s hesitation, but he resumed his usual smiling expression.

"Lily, of course I will marry you."

But his tone wasn't that firm.

Girls may be too sensitive, but I could feel James’s hesitation and uneasiness.

It was confirmed that evening.

"Lily, I suddenly fell ill last night. Dr. Wilson had to take care of me. I'm sorry."

Along with the message came a cute rabbit emoticon and a photo of James asleep by her bedside.

I didn't reply to her. I knew what she was thinking.

I could feel her love for James because I had seen the look in her eyes when she looked at him.

It was the same look as mine.

"James, what are you doing in the hospital?"

I didn’t care what Sophie said; I just wanted to know James’s attitude.

James hesitated, a struggle evident on his face, and he finally decided to tell the truth.

"Okay, Lily. It's Sophie. She suddenly got sick. You know I can't abandon my patient."

I didn’t want to hear this and immediately retorted,

"If all the doctors in the world could be like you, there would be no patients."

"I'm sorry, Lily. I admit I took better care of Sophie, but it's just because she has no relatives. I feel pity for her, nothing else."

I nodded, trying hard to convince myself.

"Since she is so pitiful, I will take better care of her."

James put his arm around my waist, the most intimate thing we did besides holding hands.

I could feel his happiness.

"That's great, she will be very happy."

The joy in his tone was overflowing, but the smile on my face was completely different from what I felt in my heart.

"Lily, thank you for taking care of me."

I was peeling an apple when Sophie, lying on the bed, suddenly spoke.

"But actually, I didn’t do anything."

"We are about the same age, I guess." I ignored her topic.

She seemed a little unhappy, lowered her head, and said "Yes".

Here came a voice,

"How do you feel now, Sophie?"

James came in, walked straight towards Sophie, and touched her head.

Sophie was silent and leaned on James's warm palm.

"Much better"

Sophie is a pastry chef and has her own cake shop.

James has loved sweet things since he was a child.

I'm the opposite, I like more complicated flavors.

I hate those sweet feelings.

So when they were talking about it with great relish, I, as an outsider, couldn't say a word.

After a few months, Sophie’s condition did not improve but worsened.

At eleven o'clock that evening, James received a phone call and hurried out.

I had a rough idea of where he had gone, but I didn't ask.

There was heavy rain outside, and thunder roared.

I went to give him an umbrella, but I just proved he didn’t love me anymore...

I entered the hospital.

The nurse on duty knew me and didn't stop me.

The hospital was eerily quiet at night.

I arrived at Room 302 and opened the door.

Inside, the two were affectionately hugging and kissing on the bed.

The humid and ambiguous air swept over me, and I could still hear James' breathing.

They were so engrossed that they didn’t notice my arrival.

I quietly closed the door and slipped away.

I was trembling, and the numbness in my legs made it impossible for me to stand.

I sat on a stool for a while before I had the strength to walk.